Mahle Powertrain develops battery concept for 90-second charging  

Mahle, the development partner and supplier to the automotive industry, is presenting its latest R&D projects at the Aachen Colloquium Sustainable Mobility which opened today.

While five lectures will focus on technologies for battery EVs and fuel cells, one highlight is a new lithium-carbon battery concept developed by Mahle Powertrain, the Group’s engineering division. It is designed to enable ultrafast charging of lightweight two-wheeled and small vehicles in under 90 seconds for applications such as urban distribution transport. The concept is particularly sustainable because it does not require rare raw materials and is fully recyclable. Other projects that will be showcased include transmissions and thermal management systems for EVs plus a newly developed air pathway for fuel cell vehicles.

 “The mobility transformation is accelerating every day, and we are helping to advance climate-friendly technologies,” says Dr. Martin Berger, Vice President Corporate Research and Advanced Engineering at Mahle.

The battery concept from Mahle Powertrain combines the advantages of supercapacitors and conventional lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-carbon battery technology is not only able to support the ultrafast charging of compact delivery vehicles in inner-city areas, for example. It also has a high power density and is not susceptible to so-called runaway events, in which uncontrolled overheating occurs.
At the event in Aachen, Germany, Mahle’s’s largest business unit – Thermal Management – will present an integrated thermal management system for BEVs. With this technology, Mahle is able to maximise efficiency at system level, reduce costs, and facilitate the integration of motor, electronics, and battery temperature control into the overall system.
Mahle Powertrain’s transmission specialists are also showcasing a shiftable high-speed electric drive module with a complex-compound planetary gearset for EVs. The core competence of Mahle ZG Transmissions lies in the production of innovative transmissions, often for electric or hybridized drive concepts.
The Aachen Colloquium Sustainable Mobility brings together executives and experts from the fields of vehicle and drive technology, research, and industry to jointly discuss future-oriented developments for sustainable mobility. The conference offers its audience of international industry professionals an extensive program of more than 100 technical lectures as well as an accompanying trade exhibition.